Russian Railways and Kazakhstan are on the same track

Rail shipments of export cargo across the Russian Railways network through the Russian-Kazakh border crossings rose 13.8% in January–July 2026 against the same period last year, reaching 19.9 million tons. That included more than 220,000 TEU, the Russian holding’s press service reports.

According to Russian Railways, the backbone of the flow was made up of oil cargo — 4.4 million tons (+1.1%), ferrous metals — 3.6 million tons (+9.7%) and grain cargo — 2.7 million tons (a twofold increase). The statement notes that part of the cargo was sent through Kazakhstan in transit toward China, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan.

The increase in traffic toward Kazakhstan is due to several factors, says Dmitry Baranov, lead expert at Finam Management. It is connected in the first place with Russia’s reorientation toward trade with the countries of the East and the Global South. Another factor has been the recovery of demand for oil and petroleum products, grain and metals, which form the backbone of Russian exports and are in demand in other countries, the analyst says.

In his view, the growth in the cargo flow has also been driven by Kazakhstan’s strengthening transit role as a corridor to China and the countries of Central Asia, and by infrastructure development and digitalization in Kazakhstan.
“For Russia, Kazakhstan is an overland transit hub on the eastern and southern corridors, providing access to the markets of China and Central Asia, and also a reserve corridor for bypassing external restrictions and logistics problems on other routes. Kazakhstan also allows Russia to diversify its export routes, reducing dependence on other shipping corridors that are vulnerable because of external restrictions and insurance. In addition, Kazakhstan keeps Russia inside the supply chains between China, Central Asia and Europe — that is, the Kazakh corridor retains its role as the main land bridge,” Dmitry Baranov says.

Cooperation with Kazakhstan in rail transport is strategic for Russia. In November 2025, during Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s visit to Russia, an intergovernmental agreement was signed on cooperation in transit rail shipments and the transshipment of Russian and Kazakh cargo destined for export to third countries. The document was signed by the transport ministers of Russia and Kazakhstan, Andrei Nikitin and Nurlan Sauranbayev. In May 2026, during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan, Russian Railways and JSC NC Kazakhstan Temir Zholy signed a Joint Action Plan for developing the digitalization of rail freight. Its main aim is to create a single digital space between the railways of Kazakhstan and Russia. According to the two sides, this will improve the efficiency of the shipping process, speed up cargo handling and ensure the introduction of modern digital solutions on international routes.

Further growth in traffic on the Kazakh corridor is possible, Dmitry Baranov believes. But growth rates will be moderate and will depend on the capacity of the border crossings, on export dynamics, and also on the geopolitical situation and the development of transit corridors to China and Central Asia. In the expert’s view, traffic in this direction could be helped by the high export potential of grain, the modernization of border crossings, the development of transit to China and Central Asia, and the diversification of export flows. It could be held back by congestion and queues at the border, by revisions to grain forecasts and restrictions on wheat imports into Kazakhstan, and by competition from other routes.

Dmitry Koptev